The purest of poetic forms, the haiku must contain in its 17 syllables a reference to a season as well as a distinct pause or interruption. The poems presented here-in Japanese calligraphy, Romaji transliteration, and English translation are paired with woodcuts by Japanese artists of the early 20th century. With their depth and delicacy, wide range of subtle hues, and focus on "bijin-ga" "pictures of beautiful people", landscapes, birds, and flowers, these elegant prints have long been beloved in both the East and the West.